Atri Mitra

“Help them (cyclone-affected people) in the way in which you saved them. For some days, don’t look at duty time. Do as much work you can. If necessary, work for 12 hours. Don’t worry, we will compensate you in other ways later,” she told the officials at the meeting.

Mamata, who reached here after taking an aerial survey of the affected areas, also directed setting up of similar task force, led by the district magistrate, in each of the affected districts to monitor relief work.

A majority of the faculty, students and staff opposed the move, that followed a request by Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty to the HRD for CISF security.

The uncertainty of job loomed over them as some even came empty-handed after being denied wage payment by those for whom they worked in Kashmir.

In the West Bengal Assembly, the maximum number of first-preference votes required to win the Rajya Sabha election is 49. The Congress has around 40 MLAs and the Left Front has 30.

Shaken by the tragedy, villagers have spent sleepless nights since Tuesday. Around 3 am on Thursday, people started milling around the ground, where a makeshift structure was set up to keep the coffins.

In 4-5 years, Kashmir became a popular work destination for residents of Bahalnagar and neighbouring villages. In the last two decades, the number of people who flocked to Kashmir reached 400.

Jahiruddin, who married Paramita Bibi about two months ago, had left for Kashmir to work in the apple orchards and paddy fields during the ongoing harvest season (October-December).

Since Tuesday night, when police came with the news, nobody in Bahalnagar has slept, say villagers. A pall of gloom envelopes the village as it waits for the bodies of the five labourers.

The officials, the Governor said, had told him that permission to attend the meeting with him is not available as all senior government officials are presently in north Bengal, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on an administrative tour.

Dhankar, who was visiting Dhamakhali in Basirhat, had called a meeting of senior administrative officials of the two districts on Tuesday as part of his visit.